Electric clock.



J. G. BLESSING.

ELECTRIC CLOCK. APPLlcA'loN F|LE01uLY19,1915.

1,217,557. e Patented Feb. 27,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l. G. BLESSING.

ELECTRIC CLGCK.

APPLICATloN FILED JULY 1s. 1915.

1 ,217,557. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

JOHN G. BLESSING, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALEXANDER E. KEITH, OF i HINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that JOHN G.'BLEssiNG, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of 1847 Vest Thirty-fourth street, Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric clocks or similar instruments in which a spring is employed for operating gearing or other devices, in which electro-magnetically operated mechanism is employed for periodically tensionin said spring, which in a clock is equiva ent to the winding thereof, whereby the clock or other instrument will continue to run or operate as long as the .electric current is available for intermittently energiz` ing the magnet of said mechanism.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide an improved and highly eflicient clock orother instrument of `this general character. l.

A special object is to provide a` unitary magnet and ratchet mechanism which can be applied'as an attachment to different kinds of clocks by connecting it with the usual y l net, ratchet and swltch mechanism which is center shaft vof the gearing, and whichis detachable and removable as a unit. Y Another object is to provide a switch for automatically openin scraping or wiping effect is produced when 'one contact of the switch is-brought into YVaction and fnallyleaves the other to open y lthe circuit, whereby the ltwo contacts are maintained in condition to operate with cery sition and just about ready to slip over the tainty.

A further object is to-4v rovide an electric*v clock of such charactert at it may ybe employed on automobiles without danger thereto by the shaking and jarring of the vehicle while traveling over rough roads, and-'which will, notwithstanding the said .jarring 'and shaking, continue to keep correcttime.

. Another object, as will hereinafter more fully appear', which is obviousv from the character of the construction shown and described, is to so arrange the circuit control-l ling contacts that a positive opening and closing of the circuit will be insured, whereby a' substantially positive make-and-break action will be insured at all times, even though the teeth of the ratchet Wheel which i and'closing the cir-` v cuit of the magnet,'o such character that a Patentea Eeb.27,1917.

come Worn to some' extent, thus insuring or tendingto insure a better and more reliable clock.

It isv also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to vincrease the general efciency and serviceability of an electric clock or similar .instrument of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other. useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.v f

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of an electric clock embodying the principles of my invention. y n

2 is a section on line 2-2 in Fig. 3,

being a rear elevation ofthemechanism Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 in@ Fig. 3. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the unitary mag- .applicable to clocks of different kinds by sim )ly connecting the pinion of the ratchet sha -with the usual gear wheel on the cenlter shaft of the ordinary clock.

-' Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail Y view of the ratchetmechanism, showing vthe ypaWl-or ratchet-dog in its lower position.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing said pawl or ratchet-dog very nearly in its raised popoint of the next tooth of the ratchet-Wheel.

As thus illustrated, the clock has a dial A and hands B and C of the usual or any suitable character. The vusual center shaft D of theclock has a gear wheel d which is connected by a train of gears E, of any suit- .'able or well known character, with the esL capement devices F, which latter' may also be ofanyy suitable known or approved character. This is ordinary clock construction and requires no further description.

Referring to Fig. 6, the unitary magnet and ratchet and switch mechanlsm comprises an L-shaped steel or iron plate G or any other suitable means. The aru'iaturc l is provided with pivot screws yi by which it is pivotally `mounted on the other end ot' the plate (l, whereby the magnetic circuit is practically closed between the two poles of the magnet. rlhe plate (i is provided with npstanding ears .l which form bearings for the. horizontal and transversely arranged shaft j, the latter being disposed immediately above the down-turned rear end portion of the supporting plate Gr upon which the magnet and its armature are mounted. A pinion lli secured to the inner end of the shaft j, and a ratchet wheel L is secured to the outer end of said shaft. rl'he armature l is provided with a rearward extending arm M having a ratchet pawl m to engage the said ratchet wheel, this pawl being raised and caused to slide backward over the ratchet-teeth of said wheel when the armature is attracted. As shown, this pawl m is pivoted at N on the end portion of the arm M, and is provided on its inner side with a roller fri which is engaged by a flat spring Q whereby the said pawl is yieldingly held in engagement with the ratchet wheel. A steel spring l) connects the arm M with a pin p on the lower end portion of the plate G, whereby the armature 1 is automatically restored to normal position, and whereby the ratchet device is positively operated to drive the shaft and pinion thereof. rlhis operates the center shaft D of the clock, and causes the latter to run in the usual manner until the armature reaches the limit of its movement aw'ayfrom the magnet. Spring Q has one end portion thereof secured iiatwise upon the top of the plate Gr, and is provided at its other-end with a notch g through which the spring l@ may extend to open the circuit, as will hereinafter more fully appear. lllhe laterally extending portion R of said spring Q rests upon the upper end of the spring when it is desired to close the circuit, it being understood that these two springs are included in the circuit-of the magnet H in any suitable or desired manner and that the said circuit may contain a battery S or other suitable source of current. A laterally projecting portion r on the spring Q rests always upon the teeth of the ratchet wheel L and acts as a locking dog to prevent backward rotation of said wheel when the pawl is raised by the energizing of the magnet. ln this way the spring Q forms a detent for the ratchet. When the portion r falls into a notch behind a tooth, the )ortion R istherebybrought into contact with the upper edge of the spring t), with the result that the circuit is closed. The magnet being energized, the armature 1 moves toward the magnet, thus causing the pawl mto move forward one tooth. This action of the pawl enables the roller 'n to release the spring o ,ser

from the portion ll, b v a scraping or wiping movement across the lower surface of the portion R, and brings the upper end of the spring t) into the notch o", whereby the two switch springs are disengaged and the circuit is instantly opened. iVith the construction thus shown and described, the driving pawl mA necessarily rises or swings outward during the time it is sliding on the bevel of the neXt tooth, and this causes the roller n to push the spring O outward a distance, so that the upper end of the spring slides or scrapes along in one direction upon the under surface of the contact R; and all of this occurs, of course` during .the energizing of the magnet. When the 'pawl m falls or drops or is snapped behind this tooth, into the next notch, the upper end of the spring t) then reverses its movement and slides in the opposite direction upon the under side of the contact R, this movement being suffi- -cient to disengage the spring O from the contact R, it being observed that this opening of the two contacts results directly from the scraping or sliding movement of the one Contact upon the under surface of the other. In other words, the rubbing action is produced by the same movement which separates one contact from the other, when the driving pawl jumps into the next notch. ln this way, and by using the driving pawl spring as one of the circuit controlling contacts, a rubbing or relative wiping action is produced between the two contacts involving movement first in one direction while the pawl is rising over the tooth, and al movement in the opposite direction when the pawl falls behind the tooth. As stated, therefore, the ratchet mechanism operates the contacts in a way to keep them perfectly clean and in proper condition to always close the circuit when the detent member Q, which carries the detent 7', nally drops into the next notch-that is to say, whenever the driving pawl m reaches the limit of its movement under the contraction of the spring P by which the clock is operated. It will also be seen that the automatic controlling of the circuit in this manner is characterized by what is practically an instantaneous make and break, when the two contacts come together and when they afterward separate, so that a. positive make and a positive break are insured regardless of the formation of the teeth-that is to say, regardless of whether the latter are accurately formed. Furthermore, with this construction and mode of operation, the initial rubbing action between the two contacts, caused by the movement of the pawl while riding over the next tooth, forms a part of the load on the magnet armature while the. latter is being attracted by the magnet.

Consequently, the pawl m is in operating reing the energizing of the magnet, and while the armature is moving into attracted position. Slowly, and as the spring P contacts, the spring Q is raised by the tooth of the ratchet wheel, and at the same time the roller n slowly presses the spring O outward until the latter' is again directly below the portion R, whereby the parts are in position to close the circuit as soon as the portion r slips off from the tooth of the slowly rotating ratchet wheel. Thus the spring P operates the clock through the medium of the ratchet device, the escapement F causing a slow return of the armature I to normal position. The construction may be such that the restoration of the armature to normal position requires one or two or three minutes, depending upon the conditions and requirements; but, in any event, the spring P should be of suitable material, such as clock spring steel, whereby itv will not tend to give out and become weak, but will always drive the clock at the same speed. It will be understood, of course, that the escapement F may, however, have a suitable regulator to control the speed of the clock, and to insure correct and uniform running of the clock.

The ratchet constitutes ameans for operating the clock or other instrument, and the spring P serves as a device to operate said ratchet, while the magnet and its armature I re-set the ratchet, after each operation thereof, which is equivalent to re-winding the clock.

With the foregoing construction, it will be seen that the unitary magnet and ratchet and switch mechanism includes no parts which are loose and easily ,movable and which might be disturbed by the arring and jolting of an automobile. Furthermore, theswitch contacts O and R separate with a wiping and scraping action, thereby to keep the said contacts clean and in good condition for closing the circuit. The spring which slowly returns the armature I to nor- .mal position serves to operate the clock, and

' this spring is periodically stretched or tensioned by the automatic energizing of the magnet. The entire mechanism, as shown in Fg. 6, is adapted for convenient application to clocks of different kinds in the manner described.

Any suitable means can be employed forl securing the magnet and ratchet and switch mechanism in place at the back of the clock. As shown, a bracket plate T is secured by its horizontal bottom portion upon the plate G, and screws are employed for attaching the upstanding vertical portion of this bracket plate T to the back plate U of the clock, it being observed that the latter is formed with a straight lower edge u which extends over the said bottom portion of said bracket plate. In this way the entire electrical mechanism, including the parts shown in Fig. 6, is readily attached in place and held in position to enable the pinion K to engage the gear wheel on the center shaft of the train of gears in the clock.

With the foregoing construction, it is obvious that the sprin O disengages-the contact R after the paw has reached a position behind the next tooth. This means, of course, that the said armature is not required to move during and after the opening of the circuit, inasmuch as the separation of the contacts is brought about by the tension of the spring O after the magnet has done the necessary work, and after the pawl m has entered the next notch. Thus, the opening of the circuit is brought about by the sliding motion of the contact O on the under surface of the contact R, this sliding motion occurring after the armature has reached at least an attracted position where a reverse motion thereof will then cause the operation of the clock, and after the pawl m has reached a position suitable for actuation of the ratchet wheel. Consequently, the makeand-break of the electric switch is positive in character, and is produced in a manner which is calculated to prevent a rapid opening and closing of the circuit, by the wellknown buzzing or chattering action which is a source of frequenttrouble with devices of this kind, particularly when the movement of the armature is used to open the circuit, but which is practically impossible in the structure shown and described, in which the spring O, which serves as one' of the switch contacts, serves also to positively and quickly open the circuit after the armature has reached an attracted position Where it can be reversed to operate the clock, and after the pawl has entered the next notch 0f the ratchet wheel. Thus, the construction not only provides the rubbing action which is essential to keep the contacts in good order, but also insures a closure of the circuit until after the armature has come to rest in attracted position.

Of course, with the parts closely and properly adjusted, the armature I may stop moving just as the pawl m starts to slip olf from the point of the tooth, so that as the pawl enters the next notch on the ratchet wheel the circuit will still be closed, and in such case the circuit will not be opened until titl l fan ing the detent Q to rise out of contact with the upper end of the spring thus opening the circuit again. ln this way, if the magnet for any reason whatever does not energize when the circuit is closed, the circuit will not then remain closed and will not eX- haust the battery, but will always ilnmediately open and stop the flow of current. y With the construction shown, the pawl m and spring U are separate elements, but it is obvious that a spring-pressed pawl of any suitable or desired character may be used, and that the spring tension for this purpose may be supplied in any suitable or desired manner. lt will also be seen that the switch is formed by the elements R and O, so that the pawl m does not form a part of either Contact, and is not in the switch, but it is obvious that the movable contact which is operated by the pawl can be carried or provided in any suitable or desired manner.

il do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described.

l/lihat l claim as my invention cis:-

l. ln an instrument of the class described, a ratchet for operating said instrument, a device to actuate said ratchet, an electromagnet provided with an armature to reset-said ratchet after each operation thereof, and a circuit for said magnet, said ratchet having a spring-pressed pawl connected with said armature and means cooperating therewith to control said circuit, said means including a switch arranged to prevent opening of said circuit before said pawl arrives in position to enter the neXtnotch on said ratchet, one element of said switch sliding on the other during movement of the pawl by said magnet, said pawl by I ts spring-pressed action serving to open said switch after reaching the next notch, and said other element of the switch being controlled b v said ratchet to close the circuit after each actuation of the'pawl by said device.

2. ln an instrument of the class described, a train of gears and an escapement therefor, mechanism for driving said gears, including a magnet having an armature connected with said mechanism, a spring connected to yieldingly hold said armature in retracted position, whereby energizing of said magnet servesto tension said spring for the operation of said mechanism, a circuit for said magnet, and means operated by said mechanism to close said circuit when said armature is retracted and open the same when the armatureis attracted, said means including two contacts arranged for sliding engagement with each other to separate them and thereby open the circuit after the armature is attracted suthciently to enable said spring to cause the operation of said mechanism.

3, lin an instrument of the class described,

nemesi? an electro-magnet, an armature for said magnet, mechanism for permitting a quick attraction of said armature and causing a slow return thereof to normal position, a circuit for said lnagnet, and means operated by said mechanism to control said circuit, said mechanism including a ratchet wheel and pawl, and said means including a spring arranged to press said pawl against said wheel, to open said circuit each time the pawl drops behind another ratchet tooth, thereby to keep the circuit closed until after said armature has reached an attracted position where a reverse motion thereof will then cause the operation of said mechanism.

et. ln an instrument of the class described, movable switch contacts mounted to slide one upon the other for controlling an electric circuit, having a relative rubbing action caused by the same sliding movement which iinally separates one contact from the other, a ratchet wheel and pawl mechanism for operating said contacts, so constructed and arranged that said rubbing action occurs each time said pawl ente-rs another notch on said wheel, before the contacts are separated to open the circuit, and devices for actuating said pawl back and forth to operate said wheel.

5. 'In an instrument of the class described, switch contacts which are both movable for controlling an electric circuit, and mechanism for operating said contacts, one contact being mounted for back-and-forth Inotion into and out of the path of the other contact and serving to open the circuit by its lateral movement out of said path, and said other contact being arranged to move back and forth in a direction substantially at right angles to the path of movement of said one contact.

6. ln an instrument of the class described, relatively movable switch contacts for controlling an electric circuit, a ratchet wheel and pawl mechanism for operating said contacts, for causing said contacts to remain in engagement'until after the pawl has entered another ratchet notch, a detent for the wheel of said mechanism, and instrumentalities to actuate said pawl, one contact being movable slowly into circuit closing position in the path of the other contact by slow movement of said pawl during actuation of said ratchet wheel, thereby to'close said circuit each time said detent falls into another ratchet notch, and said other contact being movable slowly into position to permit arrival of said one contact at Said closing position thereof without premature closure of the switch.

7. ln an instrument of the class described, relatively movable switch contacts, and mechanism for operating said contacts, said mechanism having an electro-magnet provided with a circuit controlled by said contacts` and said contacts being arranged to open the circuit by sliding motion of one contact upon the surface of the other contact, which sliding motion itself finally separates the tivo contacts, and said mechanism having a spring to produce said sliding motion.

8. In an instrument of the class described, relatively movable switch contacts controlling an electric circuit, a ratchet Wheel and pawl mechanism for operating said contacts, for causing said contacts to remain in engagement until after the pawl has entered another ratchet notch, a magnet included in said circuit to actuate said pawl in one direction over the ratchet teeth, and a spring for causing said paWl to actuate said ratchet wheel, said pawl being in operative relation to said switch contacts during movement thereof over the bevel of each tooth and after entering the next notch each time the magnet is energized, thereby to prevent opening of the circuit until after actuation of said pawl by said magnet has carried the pawl behind the next ratchet tooth on the wheel.

9. In an instrument of the class described, relatively movable switch contacts for controlling an electric circuit, a ratchet Wheel and pawl mechanism for operating said contacts, for causing said contacts to remain in engagement until after the pawl has entered another ratchet notch, a magnet controlled by said circuit to actuate said pawl over the ratchet teeth in one direction, and a spring to actuate said paWl in the other direction, one of said contacts being in the form of a spring forpressing said pawl against the ratchet Wheel, and for producing the relative movement necessary to open the cir-v cuit, the iexing of said pawl-spring forming .a part of the load on Vsaid magnet to produce a relative rubbing action between said conltacts each time said pawl slides' over the bevel of another ratchet tooth.

10. In an instrument of the class described, relatively movable switch contacts for controlling an electric circuit, so constructed and arranged that one contact engages the other where theirrespective paths of movement cross each other substantially at right angles, and a 'ratchet Wheel and pawl `:mechanism for operating said contacts, for causing said contacts to remain in engagement until after the pawl has entered another ratchet notch, said mechanism being constructed and arranged to cause sliding movement of oneA contact in opposite directions on the other contact before the circuit is opened by the separation of said contacts, a magnet included in said circuit to actuate said pawl in one direction over the ,ratchet teeth, thereby causing said sliding movement in one direction, and a sprin to actuate said pawl in the opposite dlrection.

11. In an instrument of the class described, relatively movable switch contacts for controlling an electric circuit, an electro-magnet in said circuit, a ratchet Wheel and pawl mechanism for operating said contacts, one of said contacts being arranged to slide on the other contact a sutlicient distance to finally disengage one contact from the other' and thereby open said circuit, and a spring to cause said sliding movement.

12.` In an instrument of the class described, an electro-magnet having a circuit for the intermittent energizing thereof, a ratchet mechanism having a pawl actuated in one direction by said magnet, means to actuate saidpawl 1n the opposite direction, a detent for said mechanism, and a spring for pressing `said pawl against the ratchet wheel, said spring engaging said .detent to intermittently close said circuit, and said spring causing entrance of said pawl behind ythe next ratchet tooth in position to actuate the ratchet wheel before the circuit is opened hin the next ratchet tooth, said detent and` spring being included in and forming art of said circuit, and said spring being Xed and thereby held stationary at one end thereof.

14. In an instrument of the class described, an electro-magnet having a circuit for the intermittent energizing thereof, a

i ratchet mechanism having a pawl actuatedA in one direction by said magnet, a detent for said mechanism, and a spring for pressing said pawl against the ratchet wheel, said 'spring being arranged for engaging said detent to intermittently close said circuit, said spring disengaging said detent after the pawl has entered anotherY notch on the ratchet.

15. In anI instrument of the class described, an electro-magnet having a circuitl for the intermittent energizing thereof, a

ratchet mechanism having a pa'wl actuated` in one direct-ion by said magnet, a detent for said mechanism, and a spring for pressing said pawl against the ratchet wheel, said spring engaging said detent to intermittently close said circuit, and said 'spring opening the circuit by sliding motion on said detent after the pawl has reached a position l' behind the next ratchet tooth.

16. In an instrument of the class describeih an electro-magnet, a support having an end portion to which one end of said magnet is secured, an armature mounted on the other end of said support and disposed opposite the other end of said magnet, a ratchet wheel provided With a shaft mounted to rotate in hearings on said support, an arm carried by said armature, a pawl pivoted on the end of said arm to engage said ratchet Wheel, a detent for said ratchet wheel, a spring mounted on said end portionof the support, a Contact 011 said detent to engage said spring, means on said pawl to engage said spring, clock mechanism operated by said shaft, a circuit which includes said contact and spring` and the coil of said magnet, and means connected with said arm to retract said armature and cause said pawl to actuate said ratchet wheel and thereby 0perate said mechanism, said spring disengaging' said Contact by sliding movement thereon to open said circuit after each renewed engagement of said pawi with said Wheel.

Signed by me at .Chicago, liinois, this 2nd day of July, 1915.

. JOHN G. BLESSING. 

